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RoboticsTypesofRobots

WhatisRobotics
Robotics
Technology

Askanumberofpeopletodescribearobotandmostofthemwillanswertheylooklikeahuman.Interestinglyarobot
thatlookslikeahumanisprobablythemostdifficultrobottomake.Isisusuallyawasteoftimeandnotthemost
sensible thing to model a robot after a human being. A robot needs to be above all functional and designed with
qualitiesthatsuitsitsprimarytasks.Itdependsonthetaskathandwhethertherobotisbig,small,abletomoveor
nailedtotheground.Eachandeverytaskmeansdifferentqualities,formandfunction,arobotneedstobedesigned
withthetaskinmind.

Sensors
Effectors
Actuators
Controllers

MobileRobots

Arms

Mobilerobotsareabletomove,usuallytheyperformtasksuchassearchareas.
A prime example is the Mars Explorer, specifically designed to roam the mars
surface.

Artificial
Intelligence
Mobility

Mobile robots are a great help to such collapsed building for survivors Mobile
robots are used for task where people cannot go. Either because it is too
dangerousofbecausepeoplecannotreachtheareathatneedstobesearched.

TypeofRobots

RoboticsHistory
CurrentResearch

Mars Explorer images and

other space robot images
courtesyofNASA.

FutureofRobotics
Interestingpoints
RoboticsTutorial

Mobilerobotscanbedividedintwocategories:

RoboticsPlanning

RollingRobots:Rollingrobotshavewheelstomovearound.Thesearethe
typeofrobotsthatcanquicklyandeasilysearchmovearound.Howeverthey
are only useful in flat areas, rocky terrains give them a hard time. Flat
terrainsaretheirterritory.

Circuits
A

E
J

WalkingRobots:Robotsonlegsareusuallybroughtinwhentheterrainis
rocky and difficult to enter with wheels. Robots have a hard time shifting
balanceandkeepthemfromtumbling.Thatswhymostrobotswithhaveat
least4ofthem,usuallytheyhave6legsormore.Evenwhentheyliftoneor
morelegstheystillkeeptheirbalance.Developmentofleggedrobotsisoften
modeledafterinsectsorcrawfish..

StationaryRobots
Robots are not only used to explore areas or imitate a human being. Most
robotsperformrepeatingtaskswithoutevermovinganinch.Mostrobotsare
workinginindustrysettings.Especiallydullandrepeatingtasksaresuitable
for robots. A robot never grows tired, it will perform its duty day and night
withoutevercomplaining.Incasethetasksathandaredone,therobotswill
bereprogrammedtoperformothertasks..

AutonomousRobots
Autonomousrobotsareselfsupportingorinotherwordsselfcontained.In
awaytheyrelyontheirownbrains.
Autonomous robots run a program that give them the opportunity to
decideontheactiontoperformdependingontheirsurroundings.Attimes
theserobotsevenlearnnewbehavior.Theystartoutwithashortroutine
andadaptthisroutinetobemoresuccessfulatthetasktheyperform.The
most successful routine will be repeated as such their behavior is shaped.
Autonomous robots can learn to walk or avoid obstacles they find in their
way.Thinkaboutasixleggedrobot,atfirstthelegsmoveadrandom,after
a little while the robot adjust its program and performs a pattern which
enablesittomoveinadirection.

RemotecontrolRobots

 An autonomous robot is despite its autonomous not a very clever or intelligent

unit.Thememoryandbraincapacityisusuallylimited,anautonomousrobotcan
becomparedtoaninsectinthatrespect.
Incasearobotneedstoperformmorecomplicatedyetundeterminedtasksan
autonomousrobotisnottherightchoice.
Complicated tasks are still best performed by human beings with real
brainpower.Apersoncanguidearobotbyremotecontrol.Aperson can perform
difficultandusuallydangeroustaskswithoutbeingatthespotwherethetasksare
performed.Todetonateabombitissafertosendtherobottothedangerarea.

Dante 2, a NASA robot

designed
to
explore
volcanoes
via
remote
control.

VirtualRobots
Virtualrobotsdontexitsinreallife.Virtualrobotsarejustprograms,buildingblocksofsoftwareinsideacomputer.
A virtual robot can simulate a real robot or just perform a repeating task. A special kind of robot is a robot that
searchestheworldwideweb.Theinternethascountlessrobotscrawlingfromsitetosite.TheseWebCrawlerscollect
informationonwebsitesandsendthisinformationtothesearchengines.
Anotherpopularvirtualrobotisthechatterbot.Theserobotssimulateconversationswithusersoftheinternet.
OneofthefirstchatterbotswasELIZA.Therearemanyvarietiesofchatterbotsnow,includingE.L.V.I.S.

BEAMRobots
BEAM is short for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics and Mechanics. BEAM
robotsaremadebyhobbyists.BEAMrobotscanbesimpleandverysuitablefor
starters.

Biology
Robotsareoftenmodeledafternature.AlotofBEAMrobotslookremarkablylikeinsects.Insectsareeasytobuildin
mechanicalform.Notjustthemechanicsareininspirationalsothelimitedbehaviorcaneasilybeprogrammedina
limitedamountofmemoryandprocessingpower.

Electronics
Like all robots they also contain electronics. Without electronic circuits the engines cannot be controlled. Lots of
BeamRobotsalsousesolarpowerastheirmainsourceofenergy.

Aesthetics
ABEAMRobotshouldlookniceandattractive.BEAMrobotshavenoprintedcircuitswithsomepartsbutanappealing
andoriginalappearance.

Mechanics
In contrast with expensive big robots BEAM robots are cheap, simple, built out of recycled material and running on
solarenergy.

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